TORONTO (CP) - Star Trek, Stargate and Spider-Man 2 are the major contenders for the 2005 Spaceys, the annual contest that allows viewers of Space: The Imagination Station to vote for their favourites in TV and film science fiction.

"It’s our third year of the Spacey Awards, the only awards show that actually brings the celebration to the artists, wherever they might be," says Paul Gratton, vice-president and general manager of CHUM’s Space specialty channel.

"No red carpets, no live studio audience, no fashion faux pas."

Voting begins online (www.spacecast.com/spaceys05) in nine categories Friday, April 1, and continues to May 15 with the awards show itself to air on Space, Sunday, May 29.

In feature film categories, Spider-Man 2 leads the pack with six nominations, including favourite movie, favourite villain (Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock), favourite hero (Tobey Maguire) and best special effects and action sequences.

In television, there are four nominations for the Stargate franchise, but spread over two different series: Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Star Trek: Enterprise nabbed three, including favourite TV series, favourite male character (Scott Bakula’s Capt. Jonathan Archer) and favourite female character (Jolene Blalock’s T’Pol). Nominees are selected by a special Space panel.

Kim Poirier (Decoys) joins the hosting team for the awards show this year, along with Jonathan Llyr and Natasha Eloi.

As the show has done in the past, resident "space cadets" will travel the country and the world to present the awards, shaped like an alien head and made of polished aluminum. Last year, Peter Jackson was a big winner for Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, and gleefully accepted his trophy in New Zealand.

Another of last year’s winners, James Marsters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, had his award stolen from his trailer on the set of the spinoff series Angel. But it was recovered when an eagle-eyed Space viewer spotted it on EBay.

Recipients of this year’s special achievement and lifetime achievement awards will be announced April 18.